Memorial Day weekend is here signifying the beginning of the summer vacation season for many of us, but we tend to forget the significance of this federal holiday – and the two additional days honoring the service of men and women in our armed forces. Memorial Day is a day for remembering the people who […]
The holidays are here and the “Gimme, Gimme’s, I want, I want’s and Buy me, Buy me’s” are getting louder and louder. There are presents to buy and wrap, decorations to put up, the perfect tree to get, cookies to make, cards to mail out, and parties to attend. Demands are coming from work, family […]
We are into October already! Leaves are beginning to turn, soon the colder winds of November will begin to blow. October brings us Halloween, which is a very exciting time of year for children of all ages. To help ensure they have a safe holiday, here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics […]
Summer is winding down, children are getting ready for their first days at school and end of the season bar-b-cues are being planned. People are finding more wasps, yellow jackets, hornets and bees buzzing their otherwise uneventful picnics. So, why are they doing what they do best – turning up the eek factor? Wasps and […]
All three of Virginia’s venomous snake species (northern copperhead, eastern cottonmouth and timber rattlesnake) are pit vipers. The “pit” in pit-viper refers to the heating sensing pit located between the eye and the nostrils on the snake’s head. In addition to the heat sensing pit all three venomous snakes in Virginia have vertical pupils. All harmless […]
With summer in full swing and July 4th just past, I thought this would be a good time to pass along some summer safety tips courtesy of American Academy of Pediatrics, Fairfax County Office of Public Affairs and the National Institutes of Health. Fireworks Safety Fireworks can result in severe burns, blindness, scars, and even […]
Gardening season is in full swing and schools are out for the year. Outdoor temperatures are climbing and your air conditioning is running… but is it running well? Just as fall is the ideal time to service your heating system, spring is the ideal time to service your air conditioning system. Summer is here but it’s […]
The flowers are blooming, air is warming and you are standing there thinking how good some fresh vegetables would taste – but you don’t think you have any room in your yard for a vegetable garden. “Besides,” you tell yourself, “they’re a whole lot of work.” Time to rethink a vegetable garden! Consider companion planting – the […]
Spring has sprung! The sun is warming up the air and the snow has melted away. Seed catalogs are showing up in your mail box and you are itching to get out into the garden. However the ground is too cold and wet to plant anything and your trees and shrubs are looking a little shaggy. […]
It’s yet another snow day. The kids are ecstatic – and you are out of ideas! There are several web sites you can visit for ideas – Google “snow day activities” and you’ll find lots of ideas from easy to educational. Try: 40 Things to Do on a School Snow Day Let it snow! Need […]